Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 132

6 ounces silken tofu

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

PUREE ALL ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into your ice-cream maker and follow the machine manufacturer's instructions.

Variations: Green Tea Ice Cream: Add 2 tablespoons of matcha green tea powder when blending.

Any Berry Ice Cream: Try raspberry, blueberry, cherry, or blackberry, coa.r.s.ely chopped. If using strawberries hull and slice them thinly.

You will need pound of berries. Place half of them in a saucepan with cup of water, 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and simmer. Simmer for about 7 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring often, then let cool completely.

Once cooled, proceed with the Vanilla Ice Cream recipe adding your cooled mixture to the blender. Once you pour into the ice-cream maker, add the remainder of sliced berries and stir. You can also add a cup of chocolate chunks at this point.

Banana Ice Cream: Place two large ripe bananas in the blender with the Vanilla Ice Cream ingredients and proceed with the recipe. If you like, mix in cup of chopped walnuts and cup of chocolate chips when you transfer the mixture to the ice-cream maker.

Ice Cream Sandwiches WHAT'S better than a sandwich? A sandwich made of homemade ice cream smooshed between two freshly baked cookies. Okay, you might have a few other suggestions, but really what is better on a warm summer evening while you're walking around the city in your new flip flops?

Here's a quick and snappy list of some suggestions featuring some of the cookies in this book stuffed with ice creamy favorites. Use the basic Vanilla Ice Cream (page 260) recipe and create any of the variations listed. Or, revel in your laziness and buy your favorite extra decadent non-dairy ice cream.

For best results, allow ice cream sandwiches to freeze for a minimum two hours (or until frozen completely solid) before serving. Anything less and the ice cream won't have time to freeze firm and biting into a sammie will likely result in half-melted ice cream dripping all over your toes.

For maximum prettiness and decadence, roll the edges of your ice cream sandwiches in pretty shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or shaved chocolate. Place your rolling ingredients on a plate and roll the sammich like a tire across the plate before freezing.

THE GREEN TEA: Terry's favorite almond cookie with Green Tea Ice Cream BLACK FOREST: Chocolate-Chocolate Chip-Walnut Cookies with Cherry Ice Cream rolled in shredded coconut THE MOCHA: Chocolate-Chocolate Chip-Walnut Cookies with Coffee Ice Cream rolled in chocolate sprinkles CHUNKY MONKEY: Spread Chocolate-Chocolate Chip-Walnut Cookies with Peanut b.u.t.ter Caramel and fill with Banana Ice Cream. Tuck in a few thin slices of ripe banana for kicks before smooshing halves together.

THE PERSIAN: Add a tablespoon of rose water to Vanilla Ice Cream, scoop into Pistachio Rose Water cookies and roll in finely chopped pistachios.

OPEN SESAME: Peanut-Ginger-Sesame Cookies filled with Peanut b.u.t.ter Ice Cream and rolled in toasted sesame seeds. These make cute little tea sandwiches.

THE PIRATE: Skip the frosting on Rumnog Pecan Cookies, spike Vanilla Ice Cream with rum or a tablespoon of rum extract, fold in raisins and roll in finely chopped pecans.

THE CLa.s.sIC : Wheat-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies filled with Vanilla Ice Cream and rolled in shaved chocolate.

COCOA RASPBERRY: Chewy Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies filled with Raspberry Ice Cream.

Coffee Ice Cream: Replace cup of the soy milk with cup of strong, cold espresso, or add 2 tablespoons of coffee extract to the blender.

Chocolate Ice Cream: Reduce the sugar by cup. Add 8 ounces of cooled, melted semisweet chocolate to the blender.

Peanut b.u.t.ter Ice Cream: Increase the sugar to 1 cup and stir cup of your favorite creamy or chunky all-natural peanut b.u.t.ter into the blender.

Pistachio-Anise Ice Cream: Stir in 1 teaspoon of almond extract, cup of coa.r.s.ely chopped, roasted pistachios, and teaspoon of anise extract into the blender.

BASIC SINGLE PASTRY CRUST.

MAKES 1 PASTRY CRUST.

TIME: 20 MINUTES, PLUS CHILL TIME.

This recipe produces a flaky, all-purpose, unsweetened pie crust. We used to get incredibly frustrated with pastry crusts because they are so temperamental-but now we know the secret. Make sure all of your ingredients are cold as can be-you should even refrigerate the flour. This way, the pockets of fat will stay pockets of fat and provide you with the flakiness you so desire. Baking powder and a touch of vinegar tenderize the flour for even more flakiness. Finally, a humble piece of baking parchment keeps the pastry from sticking and also makes a handy vehicle for flipping your pastry into the pie plate.

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

teaspoon salt

teaspoon baking powder

cup cold nonhydrogenated vegan shortening

cup cold water, plus 2 tablespoons if needed

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

IN A large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the shortening by the teaspoon, but you don't need to be precise about this. You just want to add it in small chunks in three batches and then cut it into flour with each addition. Cut the shortening in until the dough is crumbly and pebbly.

Combine the vinegar with cup of the water. Add the mixture to the dough in three batches, gently mixing it into the dough with a fork, until the dough holds together when pinched. If need be, add up to 2 tablespoons more water.

Gather the dough into a ball and knead gently a few times, just until it holds together. Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour, then flatten the ball into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.

When ready to roll out the crust, place a large piece of baking parchment on your work surface. Unwrap the dough and place it on the parchment. Sprinkle your rolling pin with flour and roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. It may slip around a bit from the parchment, but that's okay, just work steadily and gently. Your crust is now ready to use.

If using as a bottom crust, lift the parchment and flip the crust into the pie plate. Tuck in and trim the edges.

If using as a top crust, lift the parchment and flip the crust onto the filling. Trim the edges and press with the tines of a fork to get pretty edges, or pinch the circ.u.mference with your thumb and forefinger.

NOT-TELLA.

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUPS.

PREPARATION TIME: UNDER 30 MINUTES.

There's a certain commercially prepared chocolate-hazelnut spread that often makes an appearance spread on cookies or slathered in crepes, which is both sorely missed and lamented by vegans and those looking to eat just a little bit healthier.The name brand we're thinking of contains hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors, among other undesirable ingredients, which we think such a wonderful combination of chocolate and hazelnut (in a great spreadable form!) could well do without.

This homemade version is far from being health food (yes, that's ten tablespoons of oil you see). However, you can be certain of its wholesomeness since it's made at home (try using organic ingredients). It's a little less sweet than the commercially prepared stuff, which allows the cocoa and toasted hazelnut flavors to really shine.While it won't fool a die-hard fan of the original, ours has a thick, fudgelike texture-like a luxurious nut b.u.t.ter-and a deep, distinctively nutty flavor and aroma.

This is best used as a spread (as it doesn't really melt), such as on crepes, scones, toast, or sandwiched between oatmeal cookies or gingersnaps. It would be wonderful gently dabbed onto sliced bananas or fresh, ripe strawberries, or stuffed into dates. And of course, the simplest and best vehicle of all is a thick slice of crusty French bread. The flavor develops even more when it's allowed to sit overnight.

1 generous cup (about 5 ounces) toasted, skinned hazelnuts (see tip)

2 tablespoons hazelnut liquor (such as Frangelico), or

1 teaspoons hazelnut extract

teaspoon vanilla extract

cup confectioners' sugar

cup unsweetened cocoa powder, regular or Dutch- processed

2 tablespoons plain soy milk powder

8-10 tablespoons peanut or hazelnut oil, or a combi- nation of both

EMPTY THE hazelnuts into your food processor bowl. Set the food processor to "pulse" and process the hazelnuts into crumbs. Continue to pulse the hazelnuts until an oily paste forms, stopping often to sc.r.a.pe the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

When the hazelnuts form a thick, glossy, and oily ma.s.s (similar to a moist marzipan), add the hazelnut liquor, vanilla extract, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa. Blend until a crumbly mixture forms, again sc.r.a.ping the sides of the bowl often. Add the powdered soy milk and 4 to 5 tablespoons of oil. Continue to pulse and sc.r.a.pe as before. The mixture will resemble very thick fudge. Now, drizzle in a tablespoon of oil at a time and pulse/sc.r.a.pe. Add oil until a thick, spread able mixture is achieved, or a desired consistency is reached. If not sweet enough, sprinkle in 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of confectioners' sugar.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The mixture will firm up as it chills; let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to warm up a little before spreading. Stir if the oils have separated.